Washington, Aug 14 – President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that Russia would face “severe consequences” if President Vladimir Putin does not agree to halt the war in Ukraine, setting the tone for their upcoming meeting in Alaska.
Speaking at the Kennedy Center, Trump declined to specify what measures he might take, saying only, “There will be consequences. I don’t have to say what they are.” When pressed on whether sanctions or tariffs were under consideration, he avoided giving details.
The remarks came shortly after a virtual call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, during which Trump promised to push Putin toward a ceasefire. European leaders later confirmed Trump had pledged to make the demand a central issue at Friday’s summit in Anchorage.
Zelenskyy, addressing reporters in Berlin, dismissed Putin’s gestures toward peace as “bluffing.” He told U.S. and European counterparts that Russia still seeks occupation rather than resolution. “Putin will not be able to deceive anyone,” Zelenskyy said, urging tougher Western sanctions and insisting that a genuine peace deal requires Ukraine’s direct involvement.
The White House confirmed the Trump–Putin meeting will be held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Trump said it was not his decision to exclude Zelenskyy from the talks but suggested a potential three-way meeting involving the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia at a later stage.
Trump also hinted at the possibility of a follow-up meeting with Putin but cautioned that it would only happen if the first discussion produced meaningful results. “There may be no second meeting if I don’t get the answers we need,” he warned.
European leaders voiced support for Ukraine’s role in negotiations. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that questions of Ukrainian territory can only be settled by Kyiv itself, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the virtual talks “real progress” and said Europe was preparing post-ceasefire security guarantees for Ukraine.Russia, however, downplayed the Western diplomatic push. Foreign Ministry deputy spokesperson Alexei Fadeev said European consultations were “politically insignificant” and reiterated Moscow’s demands: Ukraine must withdraw from the remaining areas of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson under its control and abandon its NATO aspirations
Meanwhile, fighting continued overnight. Ukraine reported downing 32 of 49 Russian drones and two North Korean-made ballistic missiles, while Russia claimed it intercepted 63 Ukrainian drones.
The Alaska meeting is expected to cover not only the Ukraine conflict but also broader U.S.–Russia relations, according to Russian officials.
